Queensland surrogate tried to get abortion

A Queensland woman acting as a surrogate for a couple tried to get an abortion after the arrangement went sour.

Alexa was told it was too late at 16 weeks to have an abortion and gave birth to a healthy baby boy in tumultuous circumstances last week, ABC News reports.

The newborn baby was left without a home for four days during a standoff in which Alexa refused to sign over her parental rights to the boy unless the intended parents paid her $8,300 in fees for travel costs and legal expenses.

The matter has now been resolved after the parents agreed to pay the full cost of the fees, but the case has highlighted a potential need to reform Australia’s surrogacy laws.

Alexa is related to the couple and said she had no hesitation in agreeing to act as their surrogate after watching them go through years of failed attempts to conceive a child.

“It started out for love ... with me wanting to do something for them,” Alexa told ABC’s 7.30 Report.

“And then without support, without any gratitude or any thanks, it just got worse.”

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Things started to fall apart when Alexa was prescribed progesterone to help with her pregnancy but the medication made her nauseous and she decided to lower her dose.

Alexa claims the intended mother became anxious about the situation and kept on calling her to tell her that she was going to have a miscarriage.

The mother continued to be anxious even after a 12-week ultrasound showed the baby to be healthy, Alexa said.

According to Alexa, the mother said she believed the baby was going to be stillborn and told her she wasn’t going to make any preparations for the baby.

'When we went into it, it was all the promises that 'we're going to be there, we're going to support you, we're going to help you with [my three-year-old son] Jaxon', and all of that, and it never started,' Alexa said.

As the relationship between Alexa and the intended parents went from bad to worse, she sought an abortion at 16 weeks but was told it was too late.

She then demanded the parents pay her travel and legal fees, but the couple refused to pay the full amount until days after the birth.

Surrogacy Australia president Robert Reith told the 7.30 report surrogacy agreements are not legally binding.

"There is no framework or legislation that can mediate between two parties. Both surrogate and intended parents aren't protected.

"The surrogate is still officially the birth mother, the name that goes on the certificate.